User's feedback on Ricoh c901 GA+

[RASS]

User's feedback is requested on new Ricoh c901 GA+. Have Ricoh sorted out the old issues of c900 and c901 like fusing and banding which they claim they have. Ricoh also claims that the GA+ edition can run 350 gsm paper as well with a single fuser unlike KM c8000 and Canon 7010 VP which have 2 fusers. Hv you faced any other problems with GA+ edition? What has been yr experience with the machine till now.
We are in a process of finalising a machine and our primarily looking at Ricoh c901 GA+ and Canon 7010 VP.

Thanks
RASS

 

[Green Printer]

Run away from the Ricoh. When it works it can do a good job. Find a shop in India who has run one for over a year and has at least 400,000 impressions. Get their opinion.

 

[msaeger]

The 901 or 901+ did not have fusing issues like the 900 did. I would agree find some local people and get opinions and check out their machine.

 

[RASS]

c900 was a disaster for Ricoh in India. c901 has mixed feedback from the users. Few reporting banding and others service issues. There are also a few satisfied customers with more than 500,000 clicks. However, c901 GA+ has been just launched in India. So there are no installations as yet. Therefore we are looking for some feedback from outside India.

Thanks

 

[ShortRunMagazines]

We just completed install of two 901 GA+'s over the last week and a half. A couple of small issues but overall very satisfied. Already have about 130,000 12x18 clicks between the two in just over 12 days. I would say, don't bother with the higher end E82 rip. Our first machine was the floor demo and came out with the E42. We had it for a couple of days while the E82 was being shipped. It was more stable and cheaper. When it works, the 82 is faster. Also, get imposition software on your own. Fiery impose sucks.

c900 was a disaster for Ricoh in India. c901 has mixed feedback from the users. Few reporting banding and others service issues. There are also a few satisfied customers with more than 500,000 clicks. However, c901 GA+ has been just launched in India. So there are no installations as yet. Therefore we are looking for some feedback from outside India.

Thanks

 

[[email protected]]

Hello, am curious why you don't like Fiery Impose.

We just completed install of two 901 GA+'s over the last week and a half. A couple of small issues but overall very satisfied. Already have about 130,000 12x18 clicks between the two in just over 12 days. I would say, don't bother with the higher end E82 rip. Our first machine was the floor demo and came out with the E42. We had it for a couple of days while the E82 was being shipped. It was more stable and cheaper. When it works, the 82 is faster. Also, get imposition software on your own. Fiery impose sucks.

 

[msaeger]

What software do you think is good to get vs impose from efi?

 

[[email protected]]

That totally depends on your requirements. Shops with a prepress workflow typically use a product like Preps which for digital is over-complicated and overpriced. It's not without it's flaws like anything else but I think the Fiery Seequence suite (impose/compose) is plenty useful enough for digital printing but if not I know alot of shops also use Quite Imposing which is an Acrobat workflow also. Depends on where you want to do your impositions; in the design department or at the machine. Fiery Impose today is much more robust than even a few years ago. Also you can automate a lot of your commonly used templates with Fiery hot folders so that it's basically drag 'n drop and very hands-off.

If you bought your system through Ricoh the Fiery training is included so ask your sales rep about getting an SE out to your site.

-- I am a Ricoh employee.

 

[Ronen]

The fiery impose/compose is simple and reliable. The problem is the RIP time of the imposed file, if you impose 30 objects the RIP will raster the object 30 times and that takes time. The Creo rip that does not come as an option on the 751 but can be ordered with the 901 works faster and also the imposition is more robust.

 

[[email protected]]

When you saved your imposed file did you save it as a .dbp or .pdf?

 

[Ronen]

Both formats are very slow on the E41. The only difference is RIPing each element or the whole BIG file. It's very slow Creos work flow is much faster.

 

[[email protected]]

Without testing the file myself it's difficult to know why. Couple things come to mind though. In your Fiery Configure > PDL > PS, check to see if 'Cache PDF and PS objects' is checked. This will specify whether images in PDF and PS files are cached to reduce the need to reprocess the same image in a file. Also check to see that 'Enable RIP While Receive' is enabled.

There's also the Adobe PDF Print Engine which you may not have enabled or be using. Make sure you've checked 'Enable Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE)'. Then in Job Properties for the file check APPE in upper left corner. This option allows native PDF processing and rendering without the need to convert the job from PDF to PS and then to raster.

Finally back in Configure > Jobs Setup if you have Preview while Processing enabled you should disable that. Not only will it slow down file processing it'll generate a tif thumbnail for every image which do not get deleted that can eventually take up too much disk space.

Hope that helps!

 

[printfreq]

For what's it's worth, I've been told by Ricoh technicians as well as sales people that the + model has very few changes from an updated c901 model. By updated, I mean hardware fixes across the last few years such as developer units, developer drives, etc.. Aside from an updated RIP, the + model has different firmware that allows the machine to slow down when running stock above 300 gsm. Overall, the print engine between two is supposed to be the same.

I've seen Ricoh techs on here. Care to clarify?

 

[arossetti]

Quite Impose is a good product for digital.